Athletic shoe



Apri 141g W42., D. MOREIN ATHLETIC SHOE Filed May 20, 1941 SHO/HMA ?atented Apr. i4,

ari,

.ear erica Claims.

The present invention relates generally to an athletic shoe and has for its main object to render this type of shoe snug and close fitting under the arch and over the instep of the foot and generally to provide an athletic shoe in which the sole and more particularly the arch or shank portion thereof are at all times drawn into nrm engagement with the foot thereby aifording a more secure and more firm footing and a more secure tread and grip upon the ground.

More particularly the present invention provides an athletic shoe with a heavy strip of elastic material, the strip being permanently built into the shoe in such a manner that when the shoe is worn the strip nts over the instep under tension, thereby drawing the sole and the foot firmly together and cooperating with the lacing to provide rm footing and to minimize the strains and stresses to which the lacing is subjected.

While the present invention is particularly applicable to the common type of canvas, rubber soled tennis or basket-ball shoes, it is generally applicable to all types of athletic shoes including leather skating shoes or track, baseball and football shoes.

Other objects and advantages flowing from the present construction will become apparent to per sons skilled in the art from the accompanying drawing and the following specification.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the shoe showing the elastic strip within the shoe;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the shoe taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a developed view of the elastic strip.

In the drawing, the shoe specically illustrated as embodying the present invention is of the type now commonly employed by tennis and basketball players and commonly has a canvas upper I0, and a rubber sole Il. The upper is commonly open substantially its full length from top to toe and is provided with a, tongue I2 and laces I3. In an active sport such as tennis or basketball the repeated flexure of the ankle and foot and of the corresponding portions of the shoe subject the entire shoe including its lacings to such repeated strains that the foot soon becomes relatively loose within the shoe and, with the resulting relative movement of the foot within the shoe, the wearers footing and grip upon the ground becomes unsecure. The shoe of the present invention, therefore, embodies the wide strip I4 built into the shoe at its ends, and free of the shoe throughout its length except for the strip I5 at each end. The strips I5 are secured between the insole `and outer sole in any suitable manner, whether by stitching or by suitable adhesives or by Vulcanization of the rubber sole. The strip lli is made of any suitable elastic material and is preferably made of a woven or knitted fabric composed of textile covered rubber threads or yarn and is preferably elastic only lengthwise, that is, across the instep of the shoe.

The strip Hi is trapezoidal in outline and its long edge I6 extends between the edges of the relatively narrow arch portion or shank of the sole and over the higher portion of the instep, while the shorter edge I extends between the edges of the forward or wider portion of the shank and over the shorter portion of the instep. Both edges I6 and I'I are however shorter than necessary to accommodate these distances, and except for the attachment strips I5, the entire strip is free of and somewhat spaced from the upper interiorly of the shoe. When Worn the strip is stretched and tensioned by the in sertion of the foot into the shoe. With the tongue I2 over the strip and the laces I3 tightly drawn, the tensioned strip and the laces cooperate to maintain at all times a nrm assembly of the foot and shoe. The strip serves to reduce or minimize the strains and stresses to which the laces are subjected when the wearer is engaged in active sport, and therefore also enhances the eifectiveness of the laces.

Having described one particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that such embodiment is merely illustrative and that variations thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to persons skilled in the art.

While the drawing accompanying the present application illustrates one type of athletic shoe now in common use, namely a high shoe with its opening and tongue extending from top to toe, it will be understood that the invention is also applicable to the type of shoe having a vamp and having an opening and tongue extending only over the instep and not reaching to the toe. The invention is also applicable to a low shoe of either type, that is, either of the type having tongue and opening extending to the toe or only over the instep.

The width of the strip should approximate the length of the instep. In a mans shoe the width of the strip may be about two and a half inches and in a womans shoe it may be about two inches.

I claim:

1. An athletic shoe having an upper, an nsole, an outer sole, the upper having an opening extending lengthwise of the instep, a tongue for the opening, laces for closing the opening, and an uninterrupted strip of elastic material secured at its ends between the insole and outer sole, the strip being otherwise free of the upper, and extending over the instep of the foot interiorly of the shoe.

2. An athletic shoe having an upper, an insole, an outer sole, the upper having an opening extending lengthwise of the instep, a tongue for the opening, laces for closing the opening, and an uninterrupted strip of elastic material secured at its ends between the insole and outer sole along the opposing edges of the shank of the sole, the strip being otherwise free of the upper, and extending over the instep of the foot interiorly of the shoe.

3. An athletic shoe having an upper, an insole, an outer sole, the upper having an opening extending lengthwise of the instep, a tongue for the opening, laces for closing the opening, and an uninterrupted strip of elastic material secured at its ends between the insole and outer sole along the opposing edges of the shank of the sole, the strip being otherwise free of the upper, and extending over the instep of the foot interiorly of the shoe, the strip being trapezoidal in outline and being disposed with its shorter longitudinal edge near the toe of the shoe.

4. An athletic shoe having an upper, an insole, an outer sole, the upper having an opening extending lengthwise of the instep, a tongue for the opening, laces for closing the opening, and an uninterrupted strip of elastic material secured at its ends between the insole and outer sole along the opposing edges of the shank of the sole, the strip being otherwise free of the upper, and extending over the instep of the foot interiorly of the shoe, the length of the strip between the attachment strips when contracted being shorter than the corresponding dimensions of the upper whereby the strip is stretched and tensioned by the Wearers instep.

5. An athletic shoe having an upper, a sole, the upper having an opening extending lengthwise of the instep, laces for closing the opening, and an uninterrupted strip of elastic material secured at its ends to the sole, the strip being otherwise free of the upper, and extending over the instep of the foot interiorly of the shoe.

DAVID MOREIN. 

